Switch mechanism for trolley-cars.



W. MoD. SNYDER.

SWITGH MECHANISM FOR'TROLLEY CARS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1910.

987,503. Patented Mar. 21 1911.

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987,503. Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

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WILLIAM MOD. SNYDER, 0F SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

SWITCH MECHANISM FOR, TROLLEY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Application filed June 20, 1910. Serial No. 568,043.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MoD. SNY- one. citizen of the United States, residing at Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Mechanism for Trolley-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switches such as are used on trolley car lines, and to means whereby they may be operated without the necessity of the conductor or motorman leaving the car, and particularly to that variety of switch-operating devices wherein the trolley car is provided with depressible plungers, which when depressed act to throw a switch point from its open to its closed position or vice versa.

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved switch applied to a track, part of one track rail being broken away. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view as in Fig. 1 but showing the switch point turned to an open position. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the switch-0perating mechanism, and a car provided with means for operating the switch. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the switchoperating mechanism removed from the track bed and rails. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one rail showing the 1 means for Supporting the actuating rod. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view enlarged showing the operating rod in section, the bell crank lever, means for connecting the bell crank lever to the operating rod and the actuating lever, the covering plate being shown in section. Fig. 7 is a front view of a car, the clash-board being broken away,

i showing the oppositely disposed plungers whereby the switch is operated. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of one of the track rails, the plate 2 1 and the shield 20, and showing the connection of the operl ating lever with the connecting rod.

Referring to these figures 2 designates the main rails of a track and 3 the siding rails thereof, while 4 designates a switch point pivoted at its butt end as is usual. When the switch point is thrown into contact with one of the rails 2 the car will be guided on to the branch track 3, and when it is thrown away from the rail 2 the car will move along the main line.

For the purpose of operating the switch point, I provide one of the rails 2 of the main line with a plurality of supporting plates 5 attached to the rail in any suitable manner, having at their lower ends the projecting studs 6 upon which the rollers 7 are mounted, these rollers being channeled for the accommodation of a longitudinally movable rod 8, this rod 8 extending along the rail 2 any suitable distance from a point just in advance of the switch point 1. The rod 8 is provided near its front and rear ends with the plate 9 having two outwardly bent arms or extensions 9 which extend downward and outward from the plate and are then bent inwardly so as to pass beneath the rail 2.

Mounted adjacent to the rail 2 on the inside thereof, is a bell crank lever 10 which has the enlarged, rounded head 11 adapted to be received between the extensions 9" of the plate 9. The arm 12 of this bell crank lever is connected by a link 13 to the switch point. It will thus be obvious that as the rod 8 is reciprocated the switch point will be reciprocated to bring the switch point either into its closed or open position. The other end of the rod 8 is provided with a like plate 9 to that previously described, having the outwardly and downwardly extending arms 9 which are inwardly turned beneath the rail, and mounted adjacent to the rail on the inside thereof, is the bell crank lever 15, one arm of which is provided with the enlarged, rounded head 16 which extends between the arms 9*, and the other arm 17 of which is connected to a link 18, this link in turn being connected to a transversely extending, connecting rod 19. The connecting rod 19 extends transversely across the track from one rail to the other and is covered by a transversely extending covering plate or shield 20 so that the rod 19 is entirely protected.

Mounted upon the plate 20 at opposite ends thereof, are the levers 21 and 22, each of them pivoted at one end to the plate 20, and at its other end being pivotally connected to the extremities of the rod 19. These levers are angularly placed to each other and extend each from its pivotal point forward toward the connecting rod. The plate '20 is slotted as at 23, and a pin 23 on the extremity of each of the levers passes down through this slot and connects the lever to the transverse rod 19. It will thus be obvious that when the levers 22 are moved in one direction or the other that the rod 19 will be likewise shifted, and through the mechanism previously described the switch point will be shifted in accordance therewith.

lflounted adjacent to the inwardly pr? jecting base flange of each rail 2 are the plates 24. These plates extend beneath the levers 21 and 22 and may be formed intogrally with the transverse plate 20. The extremities of the plates 24L are upwardly curved as at 25, for a purpose to be later described, these upwardly curved portions of the plates 24 being disposed beyond the levers 21 and 22.

For the purpose of operating the switch I provide the car with plungers located on opposite sides of the car, one in such position as to engage the lever 22, while the other is in position to engage the lever 21 when the plunger-s are depressed. In detail each switch-operating mechanism consists of the following elements: A bracket 26 is attached to the bottom of the car through which a plunger 27 moves, this plunger at its upper end being connected to a lever 28, and the lower end of the plunger being preferably provided with a roller 29. A spring 30 acts to force the plunger downward, The other end of the lever 28 extends to the forward end of the car platform and is there connected to an upwardly extending link 31 which at its upper end is connected to a bell crank lever 32. The vertically extending arm of this bell crank lever is attached to a handle 33, or other suitable operating means, which preferably moves over a quadrant 341 provided with teeth 35 disposed at one end of the quadrant, the middle portion of the quadrant being smooth. The lever is provided with a detent tooth 36 which is adapted to engage with the tooth 35, but which may be raised from this engagement by means of a hand-grip 37 or any other suitable mechanism to this end. Normally the end 38 of the bell crank lever is in a vertical position, and as a consequence the plunger 27 is raised; when, however, it is desired to depress the plunger it is only necessary to release the detent tooth 36 from engagement with the tooth 35, and to pull upon the handle 33. This raises the forward end of the lever 28 and permits the spring 30 to depress the plunger. One plunger or the other is depressed into contact with one or the other of the track plates 24, and as the car movesforward the depressed plunger will come in contact with one or the other of the levers 21 or 22. If the plunger on the left hand side of the car is depressed, the lever 22 will be struck, which will cause the switch point to be moved into engagementwith the adjacent rail 2, while if the plunger on the right hand side of the car is depressed the lever 21 will be struck, thus shifting the rod 8 forward and moving the switch point out of its engagement with the rail 2.

lVhile I have shown what I believe to be the best form of mechanism for actuating the levers 21 and 22, I do not wish to be limited to this as it is obvious that many changes might be made in the form of the mechanism carried upon the car without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As the car moves forward after actuating the switch, the roller 29 on the lower end of the plunger will contact with the raised portion 25 of the plate 2st and the plunger will be raised against the force of the spring 30, thus moving the forward end of the lever 28 downward and drawing the handle 33 to its normal position. It will be seen that the strength of the spring 30 is such that as soon as the handle 83 is released from its engage ment with the quadrant that the spring 80 will depress the plunger until such position is reached that the plunger contacts with the upwardly curved portion 25 of the plate 24. This part 25 might be so raised that it would return the plunger to its normal position and engage it with the notch in the quadrant, thus eliminating the necessity of the motorman moving the handle 33 to its normal position. I do not, however, wish to be limited to this.

My invention is simple, can be easily applied to tracks already laid, the parts are entirely shielded so that snow or ice can not obstruct the operation of the switch, and so that dirt can not collect around the levers 21 and 22 so as to prevent their easy operation.

hat I claim is:

1. The combination with main rails, branch rails and a pivoted switch point, of a longitudinally movable rod supported on one of the main rails, a bell crank lever connected to the forward end of the rod, a link connecting the bell crank lever to the switch point, a bell crank lever connected'to the rear end of the rod, a transversely shiftable bar connected to said bell crank lever, and oppositely inclined levers fixedly pivoted at one end, the free ends'of the levers being connected to said bar, and oppositely disposed plungers mounted on the car and adapted to be moved into engagement with either one of said levers.

2. In a switch of the character described, the combination with a main track, a side track and'a pivoted switch point, of a longitudinally movable rod supported adjacent to one of the rails of the main track, a. bell crank lever connected at one end to said rod, one arm of the bell crank lever being connected to the movable switch point, a bell crank lever connected to the other end of bell crank lever, oppositely inclined levers pivoted at one .end for movement in a horizontal plane, the free ends of said levers being connected to said transverse bar, and a car provided with depressible plungers adapted to contact with one or the other of said levers. Y

3. In a switch of the character described, the combination with main track rails, side track rails and a pivoted switch point, of a plurality of supporting rollers mounted on one of the rails of the main track, a longitudinally movable operating rod supported on said rollers, a bell crank lever connected at one end to said rod, one arm of the bell crank lever being connected to the switch point, a bell crank lever connected to the rear end of the rod and movable in a horizontal plane, a transversely extending, transversely shiftable rod connected to said bell crank lever, a shield plate covering said rod, and oppositely disposed levers mounted on the shield plate at opposite ends thereof, said levers being inclined in opposite directions, the free ends of the levers being pivoted to said transverse bar.

4;. The combination with main track-rails, side track rails, a pivoted switch point, a longitudinally movable rod supported on one of the main rails, a bell crank lever, one arm of which is connected to the switch point, and the other arm of which is connected to the rod, a bell crank lever connected to the rear end of the rod, a transversely shiftable bar connected to said bell crank lever, a shield mounted between the main track rails and extending over said bar and being provided with slots at its opposite ends, reversely inclined, oppositely disposed levers mounted on said shield, the free ends of said levers having studs extending downwardly through the slots of theshield and engaging the transversely movable bar, oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending, track plates over which said levers move, of a car having oppositely disposed plungers mounted thereon, springs acting normally to depress said plungers, an operating mechanism mounted on the forward end of the car holding said plungers in their raised position but adapted to release either one of the plungers to permit the springs to depress the plungers into position to engage with one or the other of said levers.

5. The combination with the main rails of a track, siding rails, a movable switch point, a transversely shiftable bar operatively connected to said switch point to shift the latter, oppositely disposed levers, the free ends of which are connected to said bar, and oppositely disposed, longitudinally extending track plates mounted adjacent to the inside faces of the main track rails and extending beneath said levers, the forward ends of said plates being upwardly bent, of a car having oppositely disposed, vertical plungers mounted thereon, springs acting to force said plungers downward, levers, one for each of the plungers pivoted to the under side of the car, bell crank levers mounted on the dash-board of the car and connected to said first named levers, handles for operating the bell crank levers, quadrants over which the levers move, said quadrants having notches for holding the levers in a setposition, and a detent mounted on each of the levers for engaging said notches.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MOD. SNYDER. [1,. s]

Witnesses I Enw. M. OBRIEN, A. E. PIERCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

